Artificial floral decoration.



No.847,-669. PATENTED III-A1149, 1907. "B. LEVI.

' ARTIFICIAL FLORAL. DECORATION.

I APPBIQATION FILED Ami-.12. 1908.

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BERNIIARDT LEVI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARTIFICIAL FLORAL DECORATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 19, 1907.

Application filed April 12, 1906. Serial No. 311,208.

' drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to artificial floral decorations which are used in many ways for the purpose of decorating, and particularly where festoons or long stretches or runners are employed. In this class of devices it is very desirable to have the same so constructed that comparatively long stringers or runners may be folded up so as to occupy a very small space, either for the purpose of transportation or for storage, and, furthermore, the folding capacity of such article tends to greatly exclude the dust from damaging the decoration when it is folded or closed up and stored away.

My invention seeks to provide a very simple form of folding artificial floral decoration which possesses the advantages hereinabove pointed out; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in the various novel and peculiar arrangements and combinations of the several different parts of the device, all as hereinafter fully set forth and then pointed out in the claim. I

I have illustrated types of my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan or side view of a folded stringer or runner embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the package or folded decoration shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view of the folding decoration shown as opened out substantially in the manner in which it is used when serving as a decoration. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the decoration shown in Fig. 3, the plane of the section being centrally and longitudinally through the same. Fig. 5 shows, on a reduced scale, a back view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numbers of reference designate like parts throughout, 1 is a leaf-shaped member made of suitable flat material and cut with suitable leaf-like indentations or serrations 2 and 3, and these members are placed edge to edge,

. rections.

where they are united by a connection 4 and 4 the former of which are wider and shorter than the latter. There may be as many of the leaf members 1* united in this way as desired, the number being determined by the length of the stringer or. festoon which it is desired to make. The connecting parts 4 and 4 between adjacent leaves are made integral with the leaves, so that together they form a continuous strip-like structure, the strength of which is increased by the parts being made integral and the construction thereof at the same time being simplified.

To relieve the leaf-like members 1 of the flat appearance and make parts of the same stand out to give the stringer an appearance more closely resembling natural leaves, each leaf-like member 1 is folded at 5 across the. connection 4, so that the two adjacent leaves may fold over upon each other, and at the same time the connecting-sections 4 is bent or folded at 6 in a. p ane parallel with the fold 5, but in an opposite direction, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, so that the angles formed at these folds oint in substantially opposite di-- Fithin the fold 5 of each leaf con nection 4 is placed a bunch of petal-like members 7, the outer faces 8 of which are secured, by means of glue or suitable adhesive substance 9, directly to the outer face of the leaf. In this way the folding petals 7' are opened out or compressed and folded up by the opening out or closing of the leaves on the fold 5. In Fig 4 the two bunches of petals 7 at the right-hand end thereof are shown as opened out quite fully, while at the left hand of Fig. 4 the petals 7 are shown as opened out still further. By folding the leaves forwardly upon themselves on the bends 5 and then backward on the folds 6 of the connecting-pieces the entire structure can be folded up uniformly into a compactpackage, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein it is seen that the folding petals 7 are completely closed on themselves and the faces of the leaves 1 are brought as close together as the interposed bunch of petals will permit.

In Fig. 5 I show a modification of the invention, wherein the double leaves 10 and the part or strip 11 connecting the same are formed of separate pieces; otherwise the construction of the various parts is the same as that described in reference to the other figures. In this modification small pieces of stock may be used to make the double leaves 10, which may be mounted so as to form a stringer by securing across the backs of the leaves the stripor tape 11, which may be made either of the same material as the leaves or of a different and stronger material, such as linen tape or the like. It will be observed that in this construction of artificial floral decoration when the parts are opened out for use and are suspended between points that there is no glued surface or part that is subjected to any of the strain which may be thrown upon the stringer when under tension or even under its own weight. In making this article any desirable stilt paper may be used to form the leaves 1 and their connecting-pieces 4, while the petals may be made of ordinary tissue-paper, so as to gain the usual effect of a stout material for the leaves with a softer and finer material for the flower or petals 7 associated with the leaves. Of course various colors of material may be used in making the decoration, and the flower-like parts 7 may vary greatly in color and may alternate as to color in their arrangement, so as to lend a great variety to the decoration, and the leaves may be made to represent the ordinary green leaves or autumn leaves, as may be desired. 'lhe shape of the leaf In y of course be varied, and different-shaped lobes from those herewith shown may be adopted to suit the taste.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that various changes may be made in the relative arrangement of the leaflike members 1, as well as the petals 7 associated therewith, and instead of there being a single row constituting the stringer or festoon, as shown herein, the rows may be doubled or multiplied to the extent desired and the leaves connected together at their abutting edges by the connecting members 41 and 4 W here several rows of the folding leaves and flowers are used, the rows instead of standing substantially in the same plane may be bent backwardly toward each other and. their planes intersect, when the rows will form a large hollow or recessed lestoon or stringer, which may be used with good effeet. This, however, is simply an elaboration of the simple form of structure herein set forth.

In order to reinforce the stringer or runner formed of the leaves an d flowers thus shown, and particularly when the leaves and their connecting-pieces are made of paper, I employ a reinforce-tape 12, as shown in l ig. 1, which is secured directly and continuously across the back of the leaves, s.) as to extend throughout the length of the runner, and this tape is made any suitable strong fabric, such as linen.

Having thus described my i nventicn, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 611i], Io

An artificial festoon or runner comprising a closely-folded zigzag strip adapted to be extended, and having its marginal edges foliated, and a series of expansible petal-like members secured within the angles formed by the folds of said strip and expanded and contracted thereby.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence ol the two subscribing witnesses.

BERNHARDT LEV].

Vi itnesses C. B. TYLER,

R. G. MONROE. 

